Against All Odds
by rthrnr
Summary: Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Jennifer Shepard finally manage to get together. Will Gibbs let his past dictate his future? Or will he take a leap of faith to make everything alright again?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **I love to write. But this is my first attempt at writing fanfiction. I would need all the help I can get. Reviews are more than welcome. About the story, it's a pure Jibbs story. I've played around with the timeline a bit (in terms of episodes). Most importantly, to help the readers understand, NO ONE is aware of Gibbs' first wife Shannon and daughter, Kelly as yet. That aspect will come to light in later story begins with a scene in the Season 5 episode Bury Your Dead and moves onto being - well - fan fiction. Along the way, in the following chapters, you may occasionally encounters familiar scenes from season 3 and/or 4 as well. Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: As you all know all characters belong to CBS. Not me.

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**Chapter 1**

Jenny was worked up, Gibbs could see. He turned to leave. A thought had been niggling at the back of his mind. He stopped and voiced his concern.

"If the weapon was loaded and I wasn't here, would you have pulled the trigger?"

Jenny turned around to face Gibbs before she answered. "I guess we'll never know".

For a fraction of a moment, Gibbs studied Jenny, his probie, his former partner, his lover. He thought of the long ago times they had spent in each other's embrace – he broke that chain of thought. This Jenny was different from the one he had known, he had never seen her this way before. He took out a loaded magazine out of his pocket and left it on her desk before leaving.

Before he could reach for the door, he heard a crash from the study. He hurried back only to find Jenny hunched in a corner, tears streaking down her cheeks. The glass she held in her hands a few moments ago now lay shattered.

Jenny had never felt so helpless in her life. One moment things seemed within her grasp. She could have gotten the closure she needed. But now, what she wanted to hear – that her father was innocent, was a faraway dream. La Grenouille had left. And she was a mess. She felt Gibbs approach her and silently put his arms around her. The comfort of Jethro's embrace was heavenly.

They stayed like that for an eternity. The tears had stopped some time ago. But she still let Jethro hold her. She turned her head a little so she could look at his face. As if in trance, Jenny brought her hand up and rested it on Jethro's cheek. He turned his head into her palm and kissed it, gently. She pulled his head down for a kiss.

It was Paris all over again. The years seemed to melt away. In that moment, it was just them. Nothing else mattered. Gibbs knew it was wrong on so many levels. But he had wanted to do this for ages now. Paris was a beautiful memory. One he wanted to relive forever. The innocent kiss turned heated and more passionate. Their tongues tangled in a dance as old as time. One touch led to another and before they knew it, they were in her bedroom. They made short work of their clothes and fell in a tangle of limbs on the bed.

Their lovemaking was wild and frenzied. They came together like waves crashing on the sand, like a force of nature. They melded together to make something far greater, far more beautiful than their individual selves. They were two halves of the whole.

There were no words. None were needed. They stared at each other. Both of them bore marks, as if they were branded. It had been like this in Paris. Gibbs watched her eyes flutter close. She had fallen asleep. He smiled. He felt… content. Like he was free.

Gibbs was glad they had found it again. Really, found it again. Hopefully, it would last this time. He had missed her like anything. He wanted tonight to be burned on to his memory forever. But more than that, he wanted her, he wanted a lifetime with her. He wanted what he had been cheated out of. _No! He wouldn't think about any of it. _Whatever had happened in the past, was right there – in the past. He wouldn't let it affect their present and future. He and Jen would talk about it and soon. They would figure it out together, whatever it was that kept them apart all this time. That was his last thought before sleep claimed him, too.

….

The rays of the sun was what woke Jenny. She felt a familiar warmth behind and smiled a little to herself. She rolled over to face the sleeping form of Jethro. _Last night wasn't a dream after all, _she thought. She studied his face while he still slept. He didn't seem entirely at peace, even in sleep. She wondered about the darkness that lurked about him and she couldn't imagine what demons he was fighting. She brushed away the hair from his brow and was startled when he took her hand in his and kissed her palm.

"Jethro" she breathed.

"Mm hmm" came his sleepy answer, still holding her hand over his lips.

"It's time to go to work" she broke the spell he was under.

He placed another kiss on her palm before letting her go.

"This isn't over yet" he said, getting off the bed and hastily yanking his clothes on.

Jenny watched him leave. She knew he wasn't a man of many words. She knew what lay ahead. And she knew there would be dragons they'd have to slay. But they would do it together this time. This time, she didn't want it to be over. This time, it would be for keeps. At least, she prayed it would be.

….

The team had no case and were catching up on their paperwork that day at work. Tony watched Gibbs saunter away to get more coffee. Something was definitely up with the boss. There was a spring in his step and Tony had even seen him smile in a goofy way this morning. Twice. He was willing to bet that the boss-man had scored last night. It was time to start another pool. _Time to call the team together minus Gibbs_, thought Tony. He could see a head-slap coming his way, but the idea appeared to be too lucrative to let go. Who was he kidding? He wanted to know who it was that Gibbs was seeing.

They were all huddled together right there in the bull-pen. Abby had a twinkle in her eye, and so did Tony. McGee and Palmer were apprehensive. Ziva seemed thoughtful. She was sure that Tony's plan of spying on Gibbs and his lady friend could have serious repercussions for them. She didn't think it was a great idea to pry into his life and it would incur the wrath of Gibbs.

"If Gibbs gets air of this…" Ziva voiced her concern.

"Gets _wind_ of this, Ziva" corrected Tony.

"If Gibbs gets wind of what?" Gibbs appeared startling them all.

Jimmy, mumbled an excuse and made his escape. And Abby remembered something important to do. Gibbs stared at Ziva, McGee and Tony, expectantly.

"Nothing, boss" the three said in unison and scampered of to their desks.

Gibbs shook his head and made his way to his desk. Today, he was too content, happy even to follow up on this. He was too lost in his blissful world to notice that his three field agents were secretly eyeing him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Before you move on to the story: **Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to Left my heart in Paris, Iceflora, missmerrymak and Natalia25

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**Chapter 2**

_Three weeks later_

Gibbs and Jenny hadn't talked about it, like they had planned. They jumped into it, head first. Their relationship had it all – it was stormy weather and it was calm seas, it was fire and it was ice. For all intents and purposes, they were now a couple. It was an unspoken agreement between them. At work, she was Director Shepard and he was Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. They would butt heads together occasionally, they had arguments, which would sometimes turn heated, so much so that the team feared that the two might catch fire at any moment. But once they got home, they were Jethro and Jenny, partners, lovers and even friends.

At work, the team was still speculating. They were all sure that Gibbs was dating again. But they weren't even close to guessing his who his love interest was. And frankly, they were afraid of being caught spying on the all-knowing Gibbs. And it wasn't like they could ask him about it. Tony was the clear winner of the previous pool, he _was_ right about Gibbs seeing someone, even if the fact wasn't publicized. The stakes were considerably raised. This was much more than just betting, he was genuinely curious, as were Abby, McGee, Ziva and Palmer. Ducky was curious too, but he knew better than prying into his friend's personal matters. Jethro would tell him, in fact the entire team, in his own good time.

Gibbs knew that the team had figured out that he _was_ seeing someone. He had even caught DiNozzo, Ziva and McGee looking at him in a funny way in the beginning. By now, those funny looks had declined considerably. He also knew in his gut that they were dying to find out who it was that he was dating. Frankly, he was enjoying this a lot. But at the moment, he didn't want anyone else to know. It would be his and Jenny's little secret for the time being.

…

Later that night, they sat cuddling on his couch. Just enjoying the peace and togetherness. Gibbs chose that moment to bring Jenny up to date about the team's curiosity.

"Really!" she exclaimed in surprise. She knew that the team was Gibbs' family. They were her family too.

"Really" confirmed Gibbs.

"That explains Cynthia's mysterious trips to the squad room. I know she was part of a bet going on, it must have been this", Jenny mused.

Gibbs shook his head as if admonishing himself for not having foreseen the pool. He had one word to say, "DiNozzo".

"Do you think we should tell them?" she asked chuckling as she thought about the man-child Tony really was.

"Nope", Gibbs said fairly quickly, "I'm having entirely too much fun the way it is. And I'm sure they'll find out soon enough."

"You think so, Jethro?" she questioned innocently.

"I know so", Gibbs answered with absolute certainty.

They laughed together. Gibbs loved to see that twinkle in her eye. What he wouldn't do to keep it there. Gibbs rested his forehead on hers, wishing they could stay like this forever. To anyone who peered at them through the window, they were the image of a happy couple, hopelessly in love with each other.

…

One evening, a week later, Tony was feeling the strain of the undercover work he was doing for the Director more than he usually did. Jenny had told him about Benoit's visit to her. And they were very close to catching him. But he felt he was failing Gibbs and the team somehow. They were his friends, they had a right to know what was going on with him. At the very least they should know that he was working when he disappeared in the middle of the day. Ziva had approached him with concerns over his well-being a few times. And he knew Gibbs worried too, even if he gave him enough space. He just didn't feel right deceiving them all this way. He would talk to Jenny and make her see that it was important for him to tell the team or Gibbs at the very least.

With that that thought on mind, he called her on her mobile phone only to find out that it was switched off. _So much for always being reachable. _He gathered his belongings and headed to the Director's house so he could talk to her in privacy. When he arrived, he decided – against his better judgment – to pick the lock and enter unannounced. After all, rule no. 18 dictated that it was better to seek forgiveness than ask permission. He had expected to be given an earful about breaking and entering. He had expected her anger. He had expected a lot many things. But there was no way he expected to see Gibbs carrying the Director – a giggling Director at that – up the stairs when he entered the house.

To say he was shocked beyond words was an understatement. His jaw had dropped to the floor. Jenny would have howled with laughter at the picture Tony presented, but the fact that they had been caught red handed _and_ that Tony had just picked her lock made it a lot less funny. Gibbs being Gibbs was quick to switch into boss mode.

Gibbs called out to Tony as he set Jenny to her feet, "DiNozzo, what do you want?"

His body language suggested that it was the most natural thing for him to be carrying Jenny up the stairs, as if he'd been doing it all his life. Tony was still too shocked to notice, but Jenny did.

"I... I... I was just leaving boss", Tony threw at him and ran – literally ran – as if his life depended on it.

Gibbs turned to Jenny. "What was _that_ about?" he pointed in the direction of the door.

She knew it was a rhetorical question. But she had another pressing matter. It wasn't as if they were hiding, but they hadn't exactly told anyone either.

"You do realise, Jethro, our little secret is out of the bag? Abby, Ducky, Ziva, Tim and even young Mr. Palmer, will be hearing from Tony soon enough" Jenny asked, looping her hands around his neck.

He shrugged. "Well, it isn't as if we are sneaking around like a couple of teenagers". He was more interested in resuming what they were doing before Dinozzo showed up. But he had to know, "Jen, does it bother you that team would know in a little while?" he asked.

"No, it doesn't bother me in the least" she answered, putting him at ease.

They picked up where they had left, before Tony had interrupted them.

…

The next day at work was quite amusing. Tony still looked a bit dazed as if he had ran head long into a train. And if _this_ wasn't a blazing train, Tony didn't know what was. The way they looked at Gibbs told him that Tony had wasted no time in bringing the rest of them up to date. But he didn't worry about that. It wasn't as if he and Jenny were committing a crime. The last time he checked, dating coworkers wasn't against NCIS rules. Just his, Gibbs' rules. But then again, rule number 12 had gone out the window the instant he and Jen had kissed. _Better not think of that here_, he checked himself. He was aware that Tony, Ziva and McGee were bursting at the seams with questions but were too afraid to ask him directly. He could think of two people who wouldn't hesitate before asking him anything.

He went down to check on Abby's progress with the evidence. He knew she wouldn't have any qualms about asking him stuff. But when it was time to work, it would be time to work.

"Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs!" yelled Abby as she ran forward to engulf him in a massive hug. "I'm so happy for you and the Director!" she squealed.

"What do you have for me, Abs?"

"As usual, you have impeccable timing!" she said, excitedly. "I do have something for you and I also have a couple of questions". She went on to elaborate the findings for him. Then she picked up her clip-board and a pen and looked at Gibbs before she began her rapid-fire question round.

Something told Gibbs about what was coming next.

"How long you have you and the Director been dating? And when were you planning on telling us?" she asked oblivious to the smile he had plastered on his face.

"Good job, Abs" was all he said, gave her a peck on the cheek and departed, the smile intact on his face.

He knew she wouldn't stop until she was privy to all the details. But he had to leave _something _for Jen. For now, that was one down and Ducky to go. He knew, his old friend would also have something to say to him that was in no way related to the case they were dealing with. And he deserved that much, at least. As it was, he was unable to see Ducky during the course of the day. But he made it a point to visit his old friend down in autopsy before he went home.

"I was just finishing up in here", Ducky said when he saw Gibbs enter the autopsy. "I was beginning to wonder if you were avoiding me, Jethro".

"I wouldn't do that to you, Duck", Gibbs said with a sad little smile.

The old doctor motioned Jethro to follow him to his desk, where he kept a stash of whiskey. He poured the drink for the two of them and handed Gibbs his glass. Both of them drank it in silence.

"Aah, Ducky, why don't you just say it, whatever it is that is going on in your mind", even the legendary Gibbs had his moments.

That put Ducky to ease. "I have known the two of you for a long time now", he began, "I have known you as individuals and I have known you as a couple. Jethro, I don't know any other people who deserve to be happy. Just the two of you. But I sure hope that you, both of you, know what you're doing".

Gibbs just nodded in acknowledgement.

With all that said, the two of them switched off the lights and headed towards the elevators. Ducky was genuinely happy for his two friends. For Jethro in particular. He would now have something to go home to instead of his woodwork, not that he disliked the hobby.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for the reviews.**

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**Chapter 3**

The entire office building knew that Gibbs and the Director were dating. But not everyone knew it was that this was the second time round, just the team. The team had congratulated both people. Tony had expected to be head slapped, or at least reprimanded. But Gibbs surprised him, by sending a smile his way. Tony was beginning to believe that the Director was having a mellowing effect on Gibbs. But the others, including Gibbs didn't see it. Tony had earned himself a glare when he had mentioned this to the boss himself. He glared at them if they so much as hinted in the direction of their relationship, especially if they were working. He just refrained from commenting about it, or Jenny. Gibbs was a private person and he would stay that way. They were his 'kids' but there were things that he wanted to keep to himself and he and Jen were one of those things. Ziva and Abby had successfully cornered Jenny one day and wheedled out some information. And they seemed content with it. Sometimes, when the boss was away, Tony, McGee, Ziva and Abby would exchange tid-bits about the two lovebirds in Tony's campfire sessions.

Soon, the whole La Grenouille case came to an end. Tony was relieved. His undercover mission was over and he was able to return to his Senior Field Agent duties without being called away. Ziva and McGee were glad that they now had Tony back, full time. Although they were a bit peeved that he had not told them. But no one was happier than Jenny. A huge weight had been lifted off her. It felt as if it had become easier for her to breathe. Everyone congratulated her on running a successful op. When everyone else had left her office, Jethro managed to surprise her with an innocent peck on the cheek and a "Good job", before leaving her office.

Jenny had told Gibbs all about her father and La Grenouille's involvement, one evening. She felt that ever since Jethro had come back in her life, she had felt oddly at peace. The fire that had fuelled her need for revenge had burned out a bit since Jethro. And now, she was unchained, no longer bound by vengeance. She was free to concentrate on Jethro.

…

There were times when Jethro scared her. They had been together for almost 5 months, they talked about everything – the government, the economy, books, movies, everything under the sun, but they hardly talked about their relationship and they never talked about Jethro. Rather, he never talked about himself and carefully steered conversation away from him. And it scared Jenny. She had told him almost everything about herself. In Paris, things were urgent, they never knew when they'd be called away. They just made the best of the time available. She wondered if Jethro had something to hide, maybe a shady past as a drug peddler. But she laughed it away because it wasn't even likely. She was completely in love with him. But she didn't know how he felt. She was certain he loved her in his own way, but she wasn't sure if it would be enough.

An incident in Abby's lab landed them with a boy called Carson. It didn't take them long to figure out that he was a miniature version of Tony. It amused all of them, even Gibbs. A visit to Carson's house managed to cure Gibbs's delight. On the drive back, Gibbs was sombre than usual. Ziva, McGee and Tony were puzzled. Once they were back at the office, Gibbs headed up to see Jenny. Jenny lit up when she saw him, but he seemed a bit distracted. Jenny's short-lived smile turned into a frown. But Gibbs didn't notice. He manipulated Jenny into accepting Carson as a house guest. Once she realized what he had done, she feigned annoyance.

"Jethro, you rogue!" Jenny called out to him.

Gibbs realized she was only joking when he saw her dazzling smile. He managed to smile for her. It was nothing short of a wonder that Jenny was able to silence his demons. He strode towards her and startled her when he kissed her gently. She made a mental note to ask him not to kiss her again at work because it made her want forget everything else and ravish him right there in her office. It was a miracle she got anything done, with him being not very far away in the squad room.

"Jen, with Carson staying at your place, I think it will be best if I slept at my house tonight", Jenny slipped out of the reverie with his words.

He lowered his tone and gave her conspiratorial smile, "Besides, I don't think it would be a great idea to fool around when there is a mini-DiNozzo tucked around somewhere".

She had not anticipated it, but she knew he was right and nodded in agreement. Before he went down to the squad room, he kissed Jenny once more. This time, she kissed him back.

"Think of me and I'll be there" he told her as he touched his knuckles gently along her cheek.

…

Gibbs was seated in his basement, bourbon in hand. It was astonishing to him that the amount of time he spent working on his craft in his basement had lessened significantly since he and Jen had rekindled their…. _their what? _he asked himself. He was refused to call it a fling or an affair. The words sounded too temporary. They were practically living together – it wasn't official – but they were. They spent half the week at his house and the other half at her place. He sat there, on his work bench, analysing his feelings. Of course he loved her. He was irrevocably in love with her, again. This time it was different. 'Love' was too tame a word to describe what he felt. It was a flame that consumed him every waking second of every day. When he closed his eyes, he saw her face. When he opened his eyes, he searched for her. He would love her till eternity and even after that. She was part of him, his other, much more beautiful half. Those sentiments staggered even Gibbs himself.

One of these days, he would tell Jenny _everything. _Something Carson's step-mother had said had jarred him. Yes, he would tell her his deepest, darkest secret. He just needed to find the courage to do it. Perhaps, that would set him free of his insecurity and inability to commit. Jenny had set him free in many other ways, maybe this would work, too. Then maybe, just maybe, he would be able to move on, really move on. The sharp ring of his mobile phone brought him back to Earth.

…

He was back in his basement, for the second time that night. Carson had pulled quite a stunt when he had lured Gibbs to Jenny's place with a phone call. Her words still rang in his ears. It was all so innocent on her part, but it had left him shaken.

'_I forgot'_

_'What?' _he wasn't ready to hear her reply when he had asked that question.

'_How good you are with kids'_.

Back at Carson's house, his step-mother had been quite annoyed because they wouldn't release Carson into her custody.

'_You have kids, Agent Gibbs?'_

That had been a shock enough.

He had schooled his features. '_No. I don't'. _

'_I didn't think so' _she had thrown back_._

For so many years, he had pulled it off, this barefaced lie. His heart would break a little more each time. But it kept him together, even if he was incomplete. He had had a daughter once, long ago. Even though she was gone, he was still a father. He would always be one.

Shannon, his first wife, his first love and Kelly, his little girl. Yes, he would tell Jenny as soon as they were through with this case. She would make him complete again. He knew only she could do it.


	4. Chapter 4

Like always, thank you for the wonderful reviews. **Left my heart in Paris**, no surprises for you (this covers your suggestion).

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**Chapter 4**

Jenny went to Paris to attend an Interpol Anti-Terrorist conference. Gibbs was having trouble coping in her absence. He was holding the fort, while she was away and it was driving him up the wall. His job was to be _out there, _in the field. It had been four days, _four days_ and there three more to go. He wasn't sure how he was going to survive those. It wasn't helping that Jenny was across the Atlantic. The phone rang. It was Jenny's private line. He reached for it the same time as Cynthia. She tried her best to not be effected by Gibbs' glare, but it was in vain. Gibbs brought the receiver to his ear. The voice on the other end belonged to Jenny. He motioned Cynthia to leave the office.

"Cynthia?" Jenny repeated.

He let the sound of her voice wash over him and savoured the moment before replying.

"I should have recognized the heavy breathing" Jenny said, once Jethro had announced himself.

She joked, "Should I be worried? Is the agency still intact?"

That made Jethro smile. She understood that Jethro had no interest in sitting on the chair, he was more interested in saving the day.

"No", he quipped, "We've been disbanded".

She laughed and it warmed his heart.

"Is there any serious business I should know about?" her tone changed into a professional one.

"The toilet paper doesn't fit the fixture…" he began, but she hung up on him.

He put the receiver back on to the cradle. It rang again, almost immediately.

He picked it up and without waiting for her to speak, he asked if she had called back to apologise.

"I don't know what you heard, boss, but I was not the one who started that pool".

_DiNozzo._ Gibbs felt that he had been doused in cold water.

"What pool is that, DiNozzo?" he asked, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

….

In Jenny's absence, Gibbs had time to think about other things. He had a pressing matter – telling her about his first wife and daughter. It was not like he was cheating. Shannon had been his first love and she would always hold a part of his heart. And now there was Jenny. Losing her was now his worst nightmare. He had lost loved ones before. He didn't think he could live through the loss of a loved one again, especially if it was someone he loved as much as he loved Jenny. He didn't want Shannon and Kelly to be his guilty secret. But he found himself unable to talk about them, even thinking of them was tough. Gibbs felt an acute pain in the vicinity of his heart for their loss. But even stronger was the feeling of guilt he felt because he hadn't been there for them. It was his duty to protect them. He had failed spectacularly. Gibbs didn't need another guilt trip. So, he did what he usually did – locked that thought at the farthest and deepest corner of his mind. Then he did something unforgivable – put off his plan of telling Jenny, indefinitely.

The door opened and he had his first glimpse of Jenny in a week. She looked tired. Who wouldn't be after a 5-day conference and a transatlantic flight? Without wasting another second, without her inviting him in, he made his way in and engulfed Jenny in a hug.

"Ah, Jen, I've missed you".

"I missed you, too, Jethro", she said with a smile, "but you didn't have to come now." She pointed to her watch.

Gibbs shook his head. "Had to" he said, before taking her hand and leading her to the bedroom.

….

Jenny was thunderstruck. Before she arrived at the doctor's clinic she had expected to be told that she was ill, seriously ill, but she hadn't expected to be told that she was pregnant. Thirteen weeks pregnant. But then again, she wasn't looking for any signs and had no reason to suspect that. She had stopped listening to the doctor's guidelines the second that the doctor had imparted news of the pregnancy to her. In a trance-like condition, she walked to her car, brochures in hand and got in. On the ride, she looked out the window and saw babies everywhere - mothers pushing strollers on the footpaths, children playing in the park. She wondered who their baby would look like. Whether it was a boy or girl, she wanted the baby to have Jethro's blue eyes. Halfway to her house, she knew two things for certain – she was in love with the baby and she would go to any lengths to keep it safe. The only difficulty Jenny foresaw was gauging Jethro's feelings on the subject. He was fantastic with kids. But did that mean he wanted kids of his own? She wasn't sure, especially since had had none with the any of the three exes. She prayed that he would at least be happy with the news.

A week had flown by and she still hadn't told Jethro. She just couldn't find way of breaking the news to him. She was also apprehensive because she was unable to assess Jethro's sentiments on the issue. He had _never_ mentioned the possibility of having children, not in Paris and not now. But she had to do it. Maybe there was a potion that would give her the courage to do it. That night, Gibbs was in a jovial mood. He sat behind her on the sofa and was kissing her neck. She wouldn't let his amorous attentions distract her from her mission. She had absolutely made up her mind and was hell-bent on telling him, tonight.

"Jethro?" she ventured, before she lost all nerve.

"Mm-hmmm?" evidently, _he _wasn't distracted from his mission.

She was silently thinking over the words she would say. Jethro sensed her predicament. She had been evasive this entire week. She had seemed exhausted in the last couple of weeks or so, but he had put it down to her trip to Paris. But now, with her being is a state of distress, Gibbs naturally assumed the worst. Perhaps she was sick. He was genuinely concerned now. When she still sat silently contemplating, he tried to dispel her fears.

"We'll figure it out, relax". He knew it was aimed at himself more than her.

He kissed her hair and tried to coax it out of her, "You know you can tell me anything, without ever worrying".

She dumped it on him, unceremoniously, no foreplay, and no nothing. "I'm pregnant".

His hands dropped from her shoulders. He turned to stone. His heart beat harder and faster. _No! She couldn't be!_ Before she had said it, he had braced himself to hear Alzheimer's, Huntington's disease, MS or maybe even cancer. But this, never. Things had a way of going wrong for him. Horribly wrong. He didn't want to risk his heart again, with a baby. He wouldn't survive the loss of his baby, again. He had to shield himself. Then he said it, the thing she dreaded.

"I don't want it". It was out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Jenny's heart broke. The silence was deafening.

"Jethro", she said breaking the silence, "you don't mean that".

Gibbs steeled himself. It had to be the most difficult thing he had ever done since Shannon and Kelly's funeral. He played dirty. "Jen, if you love me at all, please don't do this".

"Do this?" she felt her anger rising. "If you mean that I should consider an abortion, you were way out of league".

That word screamed down his nerves. It was anathema to him. It wasn't that he didn't want the baby. He didn't want to feel vulnerable again. He was suddenly stuck. He didn't want to be in this position, but he didn't want her to get rid of their baby either. Everything spiralled out of control. He wasn't sure of anything anymore.

"Jen", he began. He tried to explain it to her, but he was unable to. "I'll take you home" he said instead.

….

The drive to Jenny's house seemed endless. They were silent through it. He parked his car and turned to face her.

"Jen". But she didn't look at him. He reached out to take her hand in his. But she pulled it away like she had been burnt.

"It's late" was all she said and raced out of the car.

He watched her unlock the door and go in. He stayed there till he saw the light being switched on in her bedroom a few minutes later. Once he thought she'd be okay, he drove off. When he got home, he slammed the door of the car hard, using unnecessary force. Then did the same with the front door of the house and headed straight down to the basement. He poured himself a liberal amount of bourbon and drank it. It didn't help. He felt guilt for the way he had behaved earlier tonight. What he wanted or didn't want was a moot point, she was already pregnant with his child. He felt like a bastard when he thought how he hadn't even asked her how she was feeling. For that matter, he hadn't even asked her how far along she was. Those thoughts made him feel even worse. He didn't know what he was going to do if anything happened to her. He didn't allow himself to think of the baby, if he did, he would think of Kelly and of losing it, just like he had lost Kelly. The ache in his heart was back with a vengeance.

….


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for all the reviews.**

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**Chapter 5**

Jenny's shock and heartbreak had melted away, giving way to seething rage. Not wanting their baby was one thing, but to suggest that _she_ have a termination! Whatever she had expected, it was never this. If Jenny had felt maternal protectiveness before, she was now a lioness defending her cub. She would have the baby and love it for both of them. And Jethro could go to hell, along with his idea. He didn't want the baby, so he wasn't having one, God had spoken!

The minute she had seen the baby for the first time on the screen, her eyes had misted over. She was ecstatic to discover that the baby was doing well, with the tiny heart beating away merrily. _Oh, Jethro! How could you not want this tiny person?_ The initial scan to check on the baby's progress went well. She made another appointment for, got the picture from the scan and left the hospital in in a mood she hadn't felt since that fateful night.

Jethro felt like the worst kind of heel and wanted to make it up to her. They hadn't spoken since the debacle of the night when Jenny had told him about her pregnancy. When he went by her house the next day, the house-keeper informed him in a clipped manner that Jenny wasn't there. Something told him that Jenny had instructed her to do so. But he respected her wishes and left. When he called her on her mobile phone, she wouldn't answer. With that he thought he'd see her at work on Monday, there would be no escaping that.

Monday came and Jethro waited for Jenny to arrive, they exchanged pleasantries, but it was more for the benefit of the others. He went to her office but he did not see Jenny, in fact it was Director Shepard that he encountered. And she informed him that there would be no personal discussion in the office. He understood that his behaviour had been unforgivable. Even he was having a hard time living with himself after letting her leave with the impression that he wanted her to have a termination. That was the last thing that he wanted! But he had created this mess, and he would have to clean it up, too. He would give her a couple of weeks to cool down, before launching his renewed attack.

A case caught Jenny's attention. It wasn't because it was high profile or anything. But the case brought with it a little boy called Zack. She watched Jethro with the little boy. He was so comfortable and connected with the little boy. Jenny felt a pang of sadness. Why couldn't he love their own child?

Being eighteen weeks pregnant was taking its toll on Jenny. She was tired and exhausted most of the time. And being the Director of a federal agency was adding to that exhaustion. She had broken the news to the team as well as Ducky. There was no point keeping it from them as she would be showing a lot more, soon. They were not only happy, but also extremely excited. Jenny had shown them the photo from the initial scan she'd had. They were all amazed at the marvel. Abby had shrieked with delight and had even asked Jenny for a copy. They were blissfully unaware of the problem with Jenny and Gibbs, except for Ducky who sensed trouble. Ducky had known both of them for a long time and could detect each nuance in Jenny's face and body language, but Jethro was an enigma. Something was unmistakably wrong, judging by Jethro's recent behaviour towards all of them. He made a mental note of having words with Jethro later on. Ducky turned to leave and paused by the door.

"Jennifer, my dear, if I can be of assistance, you only have to ask".

Gibbs had backed off. Jenny didn't know if that was a reason to be sad or to celebrate. He didn't approach her with personal matters and if he absolutely had to see her regarding some case, he made sure that he didn't say anything that would aggravate her. He even knocked before he went into her office! Once, Jenny had even caught him looking at her abdomen – an expanding abdomen at that – when he thought she wasn't looking. For the life of her, she couldn't imagine why Jethro had rejected their baby. He was amazing with children, why couldn't he be happy for his own? Jenny was unaware, but Gibbs followed her home every night after work and went home only after the lights in her bedroom were switched off. He could do that much, at least.

….

Gibbs got his coffee and Abby's Caf-Pow and went straight to Abby's lab. Abby wasn't there and Major Mass-Spec was still humming. He was early. He walked over to the table and placed the Caf-Pow there. That's when he saw it, Abby's screensaver. His heart began beating in double time. He knew exactly what it was – a picture of his baby. A wave of a funny sensation ran through his body. He touched the screen with reverence, tracing the shape of the baby with his finger. Gibbs hadn't even realised that Jenny was that far along. What kind of person was he to not even ask her when they'd be having the baby? Why hadn't Jenny told him that she'd had a scan? The answer wasn't elusive. He had been an utter bastard, he wouldn't have told himself either. Then he felt it, the coldness trickle over him. This tiny shred of life depended on him, what if he couldn't keep it safe? The thoughts were wreaking havoc with his peace of mind. He put distance between him and the computer screen, but it wasn't enough. He bumped into Abby on his way out. Her face lit up when she saw him. But he couldn't face anyone right now.

"I'll catch you later, got to go, Abs". He threw at her as he jumped into the lift. He flicked the emergency switch when it ascended a little. He rubbed his hands over his face. _He was such a mess!_ The image from Abby's computer screen was seared on to his memory. He couldn't shake it off. But then again, so were the images of his daughter. He would be damned if he let anything happen to Jenny or the baby. He strengthened his resolve and decided to pay Jenny a visit at her office. He would make her listen. He would kiss her and tell her things would be wonderful. He just had to make it up to her. He was about to open the door leading to her office when Cynthia informed him that Jenny had left early.

He left DiNozzo in charge and made it to Jenny's house in record time. All through the drive, Gibbs' fertile imagination created horrific images for him. Was there trouble? With her? With the baby? He didn't bother knocking, he just picked the lock. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Maybe she'd be in the bedroom, he took the stairs two at a time. He saw a gun pointed at him when he barged into Jenny's bedroom.

"Jethro! You gave me a heart attack!" Jenny squeaked.

"I hope not", came his reply. The relief he felt to see her standing there, looking fine was so immense, he could have burst out crying.

"What are you doing here? I thought someone had broken into the house?" she asked.

"Went by your office, Cynthia said you went home early. I thought that…" he trailed off thinking of something to say, "I thought something had happened to you or to the baby".

"You don't want the baby, remember?" she tossed at him, and felt a measure of satisfaction when he flinched.

"Jen, I was worried, okay?" he said, moving towards her and taking her hand "You are alright, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes. It's just that I've been tired lately and today I received some unsettling news", She carried on, oblivious to the sudden change in Gibbs' demeanour.

_Unsettling news? _He was rooted in place. Gibbs' focus turned to the baby. It had to be the baby. What else could it be that shook Jenny up so much? _Oh, God! Not again!_ He could fight enemies in war, he could catch bad guys week after week, how was he going to fight nature? He was helpless. He didn't think he would survive if he lost another child.

"I have to go, Jenny", was all he said.

She looked like she had been slapped. One minute, he was there, showing interest in the baby, and then he was taking flight. It was all a great mess.

….

It happened. The thing she was dreading. She knew something would happen ever since she had received the unsettling news two of weeks ago. A former NCIS agent, Decker had died of a heart attack. As, Gibbs would say, this couldn't be coincidence. Decker was not only a fellow agent, but he had been a close ally of Gibbs and Jenny's operation in Europe. Jenny would attend the funeral in L.A. and she would also try to clean up after herself.

Gibbs' blew his top when he heard Jenny's 'proposal'. She would go to L.A for the funeral and he would stay back and take the Acting Director position in her absence. She had to be crazy to even think he would let her out of his sight when she was five months pregnant, _with his child!_ They argued, but in the end Gibbs relented, only because he didn't want to aggravate her in her condition. She agreed to his condition of a security detail. If he couldn't be there to look out for her, he would at least have eyes and ears with her. Ziva and DiNozzo would go with her.

Gibbs had called her thrice already in two days. It drove Jenny mad. She was on a mission. It wasn't enough for him that Ziva and DiNozzo were watching her every minute. She pulled rank and shook off Ziva and DiNozzo. Ziva was reluctant, but DiNozzo jumped on the chance, exactly like she had thought.

Gibbs didn't feel right. He felt like something was wrong. He called Jenny. No answer. When he called again, a few minutes later, it wasn't Jenny who answered. It was DiNozzo. In that instant, he knew that his world had fallen apart once more.


	6. Chapter 6

**Note:** I updated chapter 5 while I was writing this one. This story is coming to a close, one or two more chapters to follow. Hope you enjoy. And thank you for the reviews everyone!

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**Chapter 6**

Gibbs' heart had sunk when he had heard Tony's voice on the phone. A strange ringing had begun in his ears when he heard Tony utter the word "shoot-out". Tony had gone on to explain other things, but the only other words that leapt up were "being taken to surgery". Gibbs didn't ask any questions. He feared what the answer might be. This was his worst nightmare. Didn't they say that lightening never struck the same place twice? It was wrong. Lightening had struck Gibbs twice now. He had many questions, but no answers. He was on auto-pilot. He didn't know how he had sat through the flight to L.A.

Once there he drove to the hospital where Jenny was. Ziva was waiting there, he ran towards her. He just looked at her, not wanting to ask how Jenny was because he feared that the answer might be one he didn't want to hear. Ziva understood and updated him on Jenny's condition. She was out of surgery there two wounds where bullets had grazed her. Ziva had stopped talking. She hadn't mentioned anything about the baby. He was afraid to ask, but he wanted to know. He braced himself for a blow.

"Baby?"

She thought for a second before answering "The baby is hanging in there. The doctor will tell you more". Somehow, that didn't sound very comforting.

She led Gibbs to the ICU, where Jenny was under observation. He saw her through the glass. She was asleep. Gibbs introduced himself when the doctor arrived. He provided the details for Gibbs, it was pretty much what Ziva had told him. But the baby was a cause of concern for the doctor. Alarms began ringing in Gibbs' head. The doctor explained that with the trauma they suspected that Jenny might go into preterm labour. It was a minute possibility, but a possibility just the same. Even Gibbs could tell that if that happened, the baby had virtually no chance of survival.

With a heavy heart, Gibbs went in and stood by the sleeping form of Jenny. Under the sheets, her belly seemed even more pronounced. How had he missed this? Gibbs thought to himself. A number of monitors were attached to her. It was all scary for him. A hushed sound echoed through the room. Gibbs knew it was the baby's heartbeat. In an instant, the baby became a reality for him. Until a few minutes ago, the baby was an abstract idea. And now it was all so real. He could name the funny sensation he had felt in Abby's lab – love. Gibbs bent and kissed Jenny's hair for giving him this miracle. He had lots to make up for. If the unthinkable didn't happen. He hadn't prayed in years. But he found himself praying now. He prayed to each and every deity. He even went as far as making promises to weird, tiny men from fairy-tales who could do miracles. He placed his hand on the bump and willed the baby to keep fighting.

"Hang in there, baby", he said to the bump.

It had been a while since he had arrived. He sat in the chair and waited for a miracle. He saw Jenny wake up and he would have said something, but there was an odd expression on her face. A beeping noise alerted him to a problem. It was the foetal monitor.

"I think there's something wrong with my baby", she said in a strangled voice.

Jethro grabbed a hold of her hand and pressed the button to summon the nurse and waited, with baited breath. His words came back to haunt him. '_I don't want it'. _He'd give anything to turn back the time and stop himself from saying those words. Until that moment, he hadn't realised how desperately he wanted the baby. He waited outside while the doctor checked things out. Jenny had gone into labour as they had suspected, the doctor explained to him. But hurried on to reassure that they had stopped it for the time being and that they hoped that it wouldn't happen again. That wasn't a very comforting thought, but it was better than a few minutes ago.

The situation was under control, but both Jenny and the baby were being monitored. Jethro, Ziva and a sheepish looking Tony were there to see her. She knew Jethro would want to know what had happened. And she had expected him to pounce the minute he saw her, but she was surprised when he didn't say anything. He just watched her. Carefully assessing her. She knew it would come, the whiplash. She prepared herself for it when it came after Tony and Ziva left. Jethro just stared her, like he would someone he investigated. It unsettled her more than a verbal argument with him.

"Jethro", she said.

"Did you even stop to think the consequences of what you did?" His voice was deadly calm.

It scared Jenny even more. But she didn't say anything. Gibbs' anger rose.

"Did you even think about the baby? We almost lost it" he was hanging on by a thread.

"What do you care about the baby?" she shot back, "You don't want it, remember?"

A hush fell over them.

"I care", Gibbs said in an even tone. And after a brief pause he added "don't ever say I don't want the baby, again. You will never know how much it pains me to think I said I didn't want the baby. I really do. There isn't anything I want more, except you".

_That is a pleasant change! _Jenny thought.

"I'll ask you again, Jenny. What were you thinking? Did you think what it would do to me?" he asked.

That did it. "I did it for you!" she almost yelled.

He looked puzzled. She elaborated for him. "Rule number 45. I was cleaning up after myself". That was a cause for concern.

She explained to Jethro, about not killing her mark in the Paris assignment. He just looked at her. If only she had told him back then. He made a couple of calls and arranged things so that he could make all of this go away.

…...

They were back in D.C. as soon as the doctors had cleared Jenny for travel. True to his word, Gibbs had dealt with the situation. Jenny was glad that Jethro had come around on the baby issue. There were still things they hadn't talked about. But she was content for now. Something was bothering Gibbs. There were times when he looked at her like he wanted to say something to her and then changed his mind. She had decided not to push. The baby made its presence known, Jenny felt occasional flutters. Jenny hadn't updated Gibbs on the situation, just like she hadn't told him about the upcoming scan to determine the baby's gender. How could she tell him, when she wasn't sure of him? He had said he wanted the baby, but that was back in the hospital. Maybe it had been a knee-jerk reaction for him. If they only discussed his feelings.

Gibbs climbed the stairs to Jenny's office. File in hand, he walked to the door before Cynthia informed him that the Director wasn't there. When Gibbs asked her the Director's whereabouts, Cynthia told him that she had gone to the hospital. Ever since the fiasco in L.A., the word 'hospital' conjured sickening images for Gibbs. Cynthia took pity on Gibbs' suddenly pale face and told him she was there for the scan. Gibbs breathed out. He hadn't realised he was holding his breath. But then another thought claimed him. Why didn't Jenny tell him? Hadn't it occurred to her that he might want to be a part of it? He got the details from Cynthia and left in a hurry.

Gibbs parked his car and then barged in on Jenny's scan. She relaxed when she saw it was Jethro. When he entered the room, the screen was already alive with the image of the baby. He took a seat next to Jenny and stared at the screen. When the technician asked if they wanted to know the baby's sex, Jenny looked at him.

"Only if you want to know, Jen", he said.

"Then no, we want to be surprised", she informed the technician. After it was over, Gibbs walked Jenny to her car. They said goodbyes like polite strangers and left.

…...

Gibbs went down to Abby's lab. He wasn't quite at the door when Abby's squeal of delight froze him in his tracks. He peeked inside and saw Abby with her hand on Jenny's belly.

"Woo-hoo! The baby's moving!" Abby exclaimed in delight.

Abby was feeling _his _baby move, while he was standing in the doorway like some stranger! Gibbs was jealous. It was a foreign feeling to him. Later that evening, he showed up at Jenny's house. The house-keeper let him in and led her to where Jenny was. Jenny was surprised to see him.

"Jethro! I wasn't expecting you!" she exclaimed.

He didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

"This has to end, Jen. We can't live like strangers" Jenny was speechless. He went on. "I behaved like an ass when you told me about the baby. I may not be the perfect person and I may not deserve it, but please don't cut me out of your life or the baby's. I love you. I've loved you forever. And I love the baby, too".

Jenny stood there, still speechless. He walked towards her and stood in front of her. "Say something, Jen", he insisted.

"I waited to hear that all my life!" with that she threw herself into his arms.

…...

The baby's activity woke Jenny. She tried to move, but a pair of arms restricted her. _Jethro_, she thought. She tried again. This time, he woke up.

"You okay, Jen?" he asked Jenny.

"I'm okay", she answered.

"Baby?" he inquired

"Baby is okay too. Just moving around a lot", she told him.

He figured that the baby had awakened her. He placed his hand on the bump. _Someone was really practicing somersaults in there!_ He beamed. Then he started to rub her belly in soothing circles on her belly. The baby went back to sleep soon enough. She had lots on her mind that she wanted to ask him. But there was magic in his touch and it made her drowsy. Tomorrow, she would make him answer all her questions. And with that thought she promptly fell asleep


	7. Chapter 7

**This is it. Thank you all for the reviews. R.**

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**Chapter 7**

Apparently, Abby's trip to Mexico to hadn't gone as well. On her return, she behaved differently. That's how Gibbs felt. He had caught her looking at him in a way that suggested that she felt betrayed. His fears were confirmed when she paid him a visit when he was alone. Luckily, Jenny was away. This thing bothered Gibbs, night and day. He asked Abby to do what she had to do and that he wouldn't think any less of her for her doing her duty. She left reassured that whatever happened, Gibbs wouldn't withhold his love for her. Jenny was 8 months along now and had taken a leave from NCIS following doctor's orders. They both couldn't wait for the baby's arrival. They were both excited. Gibbs had a come a long way, but he was still apprehensive. When she brought it up, he told her it was nothing. Something was up. She could feel it. He had been agitated lately, especially after Abby's return from Mexico. It was as if he was waiting for something to happen.

Then it happened. Alejandro Rivera showed up in the squad-room one day, claiming he was there on official business. He was making thinly veiled threats to Gibbs. The team wasn't entirely sure what was going on. Unfortunately, Abby chose the moment to enter the squad-room. She too received veiled threats from Rivera. Gibbs was already riled, his anger went up a notch. He went into a tirade. Just then, the lift dinged and out came Jenny. One look at Rivera told Gibbs that he was aware of his and Jenny's relation. Gibbs followed Rivera's eyes. They were now on Jenny's pregnant belly. Fear gripped him. He was afraid how Rivera would use that knowledge. There was an evil gleam in Rivera's eyes when he looked at Gibbs again.

"This is a surprise, Agent Gibbs. I think you have forgotten. Maybe it's time to refresh your memory", Rivera walked away, with the evil gleam in his eye.

Gibbs stood there seething with anger and fear. "What was all that about?" Jenny inquired. Gibbs jerked out of his reverie and shot instructions at the team as he grabbed Jenny's arm and led her to the exit.

…

Once they were home, he told her to pack necessary items and informed her that they were relocating to a safe house. Jenny just stood there puzzled. Gibbs exhaled and waked over to her. Very carefully, he grabbed hold of her hand, led her to the sofa and sat them both down. He kissed her palm and without letting go of her hand he revealed to her his deepest, darkest secret.

"I was married" he said, without thinking.

"Yes, Jethro. I know. Three times", she told him.

Gibbs shook his head at his choice of words. He tried again. This time he pulled out his wallet and took out a photo and handed it to Jenny.

"Shannon", he pointed out. "And Kelly".

Jenny looked at the photo. It depicted a happy family. A younger and softer Jethro along with a beautiful redhead and an even beautiful child.

"She was my first love and my first wife. And we had Kelly".

She had thought that Jethro had a bad track record with three ex-wives. But these two were never in the picture. Something horrible must have happened. That could be the only explanation. "What happened to them?" she asked.

He looked sad. "They were killed", was all he said. One look at Jenny told him that she was waiting for an explanation. He owed her that much. So he explained it all to her. There were tears in her eyes.

"Oh Jethro, no one should have to go through that", she said wiping her tears away. A thought hit her. She put her hand on her belly. "I don't know what I would do if anything happened to our baby".

"Nothing will happen to our baby. I won't let it" he promised as he put his hand on hers.

"What happened to Hernandez? Did her ever get caught?" she asked. He looked away. That told her all that she wanted to know.

"Jethro?" she ventured.

"He took everything from me. My life was over. I searched everywhere. Looked for Shannon in each of my wives. But I was wrong. Until you. You changed things for me. And now we're having a baby".

A horrible thought occurred to her. Was she and her baby a replacement for his first wife and daughter? She had to know. "Jethro, the baby. I want to know if you think that the baby will replace Kelly". That got his attention.

"Is that what you think?" he checked himself. "Shannon and Kelly are gone. They were my heart and soul. But they are gone. They will always hold a part of my heart. But you and the baby are my future. You are my heart and soul. And I love you both more than anything". With that he bent and placed a kiss her belly, giving the baby its first kiss. Then he kissed her and held her close.

"Jethro, why did you never have children with any your three wives?" she asked.

"I had already let down Shannon and Kelly. I battled criminals every day. What if some deranged person decided to play god with my family? I wasn't ready for losing another child again. So, I convinced myself I didn't want children, ever again". That explained a lot to Jenny. His behaviour when she had told his she was expecting their baby. He was afraid. And he still was.

….

Later that day, Gibbs had Jenny settled in the safe house. He assured her it was only temporary. Before he left to check on the team's progress, he made sure that a security detail was in place. He kissed her good-bye and went to the Navy yard. Once there, he set an elaborate plan in motion to put an end to the treat to all of them once and for all.

The action went down the next day. Reynosa was killed and Rivera was captured. It was a result of careful planning and swift execution on behalf of the team. That night when Gibbs went home to Jenny he felt free of all the burden. He had managed to keep Jenny and the baby safe and now she knew about Shannon and Kelly, too. He was able to breathe free for the first time in ages. Things would be alright now. Just one thing to do. And he hoped she would see things his way.

He hugged Jenny tight when he saw her. She knew somehow that things had went down well. Something told her that she would get the happy ending she had wanted for so long.

Jenny could tell that Jethro was in a particularly light mood. "Have I told you that I love you?" he asked. This made Jenny smile.

"Only a thousand times so far", she said with a smile. That made Jethro smile too. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Jen?" he asked. "What would you say if I asked you to marry me now?

Her eyes went huge. She hadn't expected that. "You want to get married now?" she asked, when the initial shock had dissipated.

"Now. Tomorrow. A week from now. A month or a year. Whenever you say the word". He really was serious.

She gave the thought maybe a minute. "Now. Or as soon as possible", she replied and it made him drunk on joy.

He kissed her with tenderness and she kissed him back. They were both secure in the knowledge that they loved each other. And the baby.

….

Gibbs didn't want to waste any time. And he wanted all things finalised before the baby decided to make an appearance. They got married the following week at the courthouse. They broke the news to the team. They were all delighted. But most delighted was Tony who had just won another pool. The happy couple had decided to move into Gibbs' house because it was better suited for a family with a baby. There was plenty of room and there was a garden for the baby to play in when he or she was a bit older. They were all set, complete with the nursery and baby paraphernalia a week before the baby arrived.

The baby was truly Gibbs' child. He decided to make an entrance when no one was looking. Jenny's labour had started two days before her due date. They went to the hospital and Jenny hollered bloody murder. Gibbs was by her side all through it. The sure was taking his time. Towards the end, Jenny had exhausted her entire profane vocabulary.

"Jethro", she cried, minutes before the baby was born, "I changed my mind. I don't want to have the baby anymore".

He managed to smile weakly. "It's too late for that. Just a few minutes more and we'll have the baby", he placated her.

A few minutes later they were proud parents of a baby boy who was the image of his father. Gibbs fell in love once again when he saw the tiny person with curious little eyes.

"Daddy loves you", he told his son, kissed the baby and passed him on to Jenny. He was oblivious to all sounds. All he could see and hear were his wife and son. His entire world, right there in front of him. And if he had his way, he would never ever let them out of his sight again. Second chances were hard to come by and he felt honoured that he had been given one. He wouldn't take anything for granted ever again. He sat on Jenny's bed put his arms around her and the baby, sent a thank you up to heaven. Then he kissed the baby again before touching his lips to Jenny's forehead, telling her how proud he was of her and how much he loved her. He would never stop telling her that. Ever.


End file.
